This application generally relates to computer graphics processing, to data processing, and to electrical computers and digital processing systems. This application, more particularly, relates to arrangements for managing communications.
Many call centers use customer relationship management software. This customer relationship management (or “CRM”) software allows the call center to manage and to track interactions with customers. These customers, for example, may call for technical support or to obtain information about a product or service information. When the customer contacts the call center, the customer interacts with a agent. The CRM software then creates a record of that interaction. The CRM software, in particular, creates a record that describes the disposition of the customer's request.
Conventional CRM software, however, is not adequately designed for today's needs. It can be years old and, thus, does not provide a flexible platform for today's call centers. Many business sectors are intensely competitive, and this inflexible CRM platform cannot adapt to the challenges of current business conditions. The communications sector, for example, is a very competitive and regulated business environment. Communications service is a very dynamic environment, and service providers constantly improve, change, and add features. The inflexible conventional CRM software, however, cannot reflect this dynamic environment. The conventional CRM software does not track all of the different types of issues that customers call to report, and it is not flexible to permit hour-by-hour or day-by-day analysis of customer issues.
Regulatory guidelines create another concern. If a communications service provider makes a commitment to follow-up with a customer, regulatory agencies often impose guidelines in meeting that commitment. The conventional CRM software, however, is not adequate for meeting these strict regulatory guidelines. Conventional CRM software does not track these commitments to ensure the guidelines are satisfied. Because the conventional CRM software does not provide a mechanism to track these commitments, communications service providers are unable to adequately audit their commitments to customers.
Real-time reporting is another deficiency. The call center may receive hundreds, even thousands, of calls on an hourly or daily basis. As customers call the call center, management needs real-time data that describes these calls. Management needs data that describes the real-time volume of calls, the various dispositions of these calls, and even the number of commitments to return the customer's call.
What is needed, then, is a communication center software application that reflects current business conditions. This communication center application should create a record that describes the disposition of the customer's request. The communication center application should be flexible to track all issues of importance to the call center's management. The communication center application should permit hour-by-hour or day-by-day analysis to improve customer satisfaction benchmarks. The communication center application should track customer commitments to ensure regulatory guidelines are satisfied. The communication center application should also permit real-time reporting and analysis of data.